Combination removable handle and latch operating key for flush doors



June 11, 1968 G. w. LYONS, JR 3,387,876

COMBINATION REMOVABLE HANDLE AND LATCH OPER NG KEY FOR FLUSH DOORS led Jan. 17, 1967 INVENTOR. GEORGE W. LYONS, JR.

BY 7 Z ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,387,876 COMBINATION REMOVABLE HANDLE AND LATCH OPERATING KEY FOR FLUSH DOORS George W. Lyons, In, 2 McKinley Ave.,

New Haven, Conn. 06515 Filed Jan. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 609,844 3 Claims. (Cl. 292348) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a removable combination handle and latch operator for doors, particularly for horizontally hinged doors for sidewalk, ceiling or roof accessways. The handle, when in operative position in the latch of the door, automatically engages in a positive manner some part of the latch mechanism when a lifting or dooropening pull is applied to the handle, allowing the operator to pull the door open by means of the handle. However the handle may be easily removed to provide a flush exterior on the door simply by maintaining axial alignment of the shank of the handle and its socket in the latch member while withdrawing the shank from the socket.

This invention pertains to a combination handle and latch operator for doors, and particularly to a removable handle and latch operator for horizontally hinged doors where it is desirable to eliminate any projection on the face of the door so that the surface will be flush. Particular application is found in doors used to cover sidewalk, ceiling or roof access openings.

The provision of a flush exterior surface on a door has conventionally been obtained by either of tWo general methods. In one, the handle is either permanently or temporarily recessed within a pocket in the face of the door. Such a handle may serve not only for operating a latch mechanism to release the door latch, but also as a means for lifting or pulling the door to an open position. But the recess causes dirt, water, snow or ice to collect at that point and interfere with the operation of the handle. In another type of arrangement, the handle is separable from the door, constituting essentially a key member that is inserted into a small keyhole when it is desired to operate the door latch. In prior devices of the latter type, the handle has not been well adapted as a means for pulling the door open as well as releasing the latch.

It is a purpose of the present invention, accordingly, to

provide a removable handle which will permit the flush surface to be maintained and wherein the handle will serve not only as a latch operator but as a means for positively engaging the door to permit one to lift or pull the door to an open position. It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism for accomplishing this which is extremely simple in construction, yet reliable and automatic in operation. Such an arrangement is illustrated by the specific embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings and described more particularly hereinafter.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, parts being broken away and shown in cross section, of a flush type sidewalk door and door latch incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the latch withdrawn and the door partially opened.

A typical flush sidewalk door is shown in FIG. 1, wherein the door is hinged (not shown) horizontally in a frame 12 and is provided with a latch 14 having a bolt 16 engageable in a suitable latch plate 18. Latch 14 is provided with a permanently affixed interior handle 20 where- 3,337,876 Patented June 11, 1958 by the bolt 16 may be withdrawn upon operating the handle in conventional manner. Latch 14 is also provided with an external, removable handle 22. Handle 22 comprises a hand grip portion 24 and a latch operating shank or key 26. As seen from the drawings, key 26 is received in a socket of grip portion 24 and is pinned in the socket by a suitable friction pin 28.

Latch 14 has a sleeve or socket member 30 which opens unto and is flush with the upper surface of door 10. This member has a bore 32 sized to receive the shank 26 of the handle whereby rotation of the handle about the axis of the shank causes turning of the socket member 30 and operation of the latch to withdraw bolt 16. Shank 26 is telescopingly received within socket 30 and may be freely withdrawn from the socket so long as substantial axial alignment of the shank and socket are maintained.

In order to enable handle 22 to serve as a lifting member for opening the door after releasing the latch, it is of course necessary to provide positive engagement between the handle and the door or latch mechanism. This is accomplished by forming a tapered notch 34 along one face of shank 26, which notch terminates in an outwardlyfacing, substantially square-edged shoulder 36. Shank 26 is made of sufficient length to extend beyond the inner end of socket member 30 so that the square edge 38 at the inner end of this member forms an inwardly-facing, substantially square-edged shoulder laterally adjacent shoulder 36 of notch 34 in the handle member when the handle is fully inserted in the latch, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. Notch 34 is positioned on that face of shank 26 which underlies grip portion 24, whereby the handle projects in cantilever fashion from the notched side of the shank. Thus, when a lifting force is applied to grip 24, a rocking motion of the handle, including shank 26, automatically occurs within socket 30, as seen in FIG. 3. In this position, the oppositely facing square-edged shoulders 36, 38, of the shank and socket members, respectively, overlap forming a positive interengagement between the handle and the latch member, thus allowing the handle to serve as a means for applying lifting force to the door. Obviously, when the door is closed, the handle may be removed to provide a flush surface simply by maintaining axial alignment of shank 26 with the socket member 30 as it is withdrawn. I

It will be apparent from the foregoing that modifications may be made in the specific arrangement above described without departing from the scope or intent of the invention. Thus the shank and cooperating socket members may have a cross-section other than square, such as triangular or other polygonal shape. Likewise the notch therein may be milled of equal depth along its extent instead of the illustrated taper arrangement. Also, the socket member may be counterbored at its inner end, whereby the inwardly directed shoulder is formed interiorly of the bore of the socket. Both shoulders may of course be sloped rather than perpendicular to the axis of the shank provided the slope of each is in a direction to assist rather than release their mutual engagement when a lifting force is applied to the handle, and the term square-edged as applied to them is to be interpreted accordingly. The accompanying claims are therefore intended to cover such modifications and similar equivalent constructions.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door latch device having a socket opening onto a face of the door adjacent an unhinged edge thereof, the improvement which comprises a removable combined handle and latch-operating key for said device, said key constituting a shank on said handle and adapted to be inserted in said socket for operating said latch; said socket having an inwardly-facing substantially square-edged shoulder spaced inwardly of the face of the door, and said key shank being of sufiicient length to extend into said socket member beyond said shoulder; said key shank having a notch formed along its length and terminating adjacent its inner end in an outwardly-facing substantially square-edged shoulder which is positioned laterally adjacent said socket shoulder when the shank is inserted in the socket; said latch socket and handle shank member being sized to permit slight cocking of the latter from axial alignment in the former, whereby to cause said square-edged shoulders to be brought into overlapping engagement and resist withdrawal of said shank.

2. A combined handle and latch-operating key as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle comprises a grip portion which projects in cantilever fashion from the notched side of said shank.

3. A combined handle and latch-operating key as defined in claim 1, wherein said notch in said shank tapers inwardly along the length of the shank toward the shoulder therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,190,951 2/1940 Roach 292348 2,523,144 9/1950 Ritchie 292--348 2,843,413 7/1958 Martin 292348 PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

